Refrigerating-car



(No Model.)

S. J. TUCKER.

REPRIGERATING GAR'.

. Vlatenft-ed July 8, 18,4.

yence being had therein to the NITD STATES PATENT Cruce.

sYLvnsrnn J. TUCKER, or RICHMOND, vnacrnrn.y

REFRlGERAT-ING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 301,776, dated July a,1884.

Application tiled March 26, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, SYLvnsTER J. TUCKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bichmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating-Cars,of which the following is a specification, referaccompanying drawings. 1

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inrefrigeratingcars; and

it consists, essentially, first, in constructing the flooring with afilling of non-conducting material, the doors and sidewalls withadeadair space, and a filling of like material, the said walls havingstripsto retard the circulation of the air extending alternatelytherefrom into the space between'them, and a dead-air space between theceiling and the sheathing, and a layer of non-conducting material`between the latter and the roof; and, second, in providing an ice-cratecomposed of a series of depending hooks detachably connected at theirlower ends with a series of bars, a plate for collecting thecondensation ot' moisture, and a trough connected therewith, so as tocarry off such condensation.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, and onwhich like letters of reference indicate the same. or correspondingfeatures, Figure l represents alongitudinal sectional view of myimproved refrigerating-car, showing the ice-box at the ends. Fig.2`represents a perspective crosssectional view of the car. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section of one of the side walls.

The letterA'designates the frame of a car, and the letter B indicates adead-air space, the sides of whose respective walls are provided withprojecting strips or portions C, which alternately extend from theopposite sides thereof, their object being to retard the freecirculation of the `air containedv between the walls.

The letter D refers to the space existing between the inner wall of thedead-air space andV the inner wall of the car, the same being filledwith mineral -wool or any nonconducting material, the object of which isto confine the inclosed air and prevent the ingress-of the warmerexterior air. I have found 'that nonconducting material is notsufficient of itself (No model.)

to render the interior of a car impervious to the influences of theexterior air, and that the best results are attained when an air-chamberor dead-air space is combined therewith, and I have therefore adoptedthis manner of construction in order to reduce the waste of ice to theminimum.

The letter E refers to the iioring ofthe ear, upon which is placed alayer, F, of any nonconducting material, the iiooring proper,G,of thecar being placed thereon.

The letter H designates the joists of the upper portion or` top of theinterior of the car,

having a ceiling, I-I, constructed of boards, a dead-air space, I,existing between this ceiling and the sheathing K, which is laid uponthe rafters K. Above this ceiling the roof L is constructed, preferablyof wood, and in any approved manner, and is supported at intervals bystuds or strips L', thereby forming a space between it and thesheathing. This space is filled with an intervening layer, M, ofnonconducting material.

The letter Nindicates the hatchways,which open into the roof of the car,the same being provided with hatches or covers, and situated at the endsof the car directly above the iceboxes. Beneath them are hatchwaysO,which lead to the ice boxes or crates, and which are provided eachwith a hatch or cover. The space between the roof and ceilingbetweenthese respective upper and lower hatches is 'inclosed by the walls O.

, rIhe letter l? designates a door in the side of the car, the samebeing constructed of two portions, Q and Q', each of which consists ofan inner, an intermediate, and an outer wall.

Between the inner wall and the intermediate wall a filling ofnon-conducting material is placed. The space between the intermediateand outer walls constitutes a dead-air space,

these walls being kept apart by the sleeves Q2, and the several partsbeing bound to.

.gether by the through-bolts Q3, the contiguexclude communicationbetween the interior andthe exterior of the car, its point of contactwith the car inclosing the joints between IOO ' H I l y .l

the door portions Q and Q and the sides of the car.

The letter T represents a series of depending hooks, the upper ends ofwhich are pivotally united with one of the joists H ofthe car, theirlower ends being united together by a transverse rod, V. A series ofbars, XV, are pivotally connected with the ends of the car, andterlninate at the other end in hooks,which fit over the transverse rodV. This structure forms the iee box or crate.

The letter X indicates what I term a condensingplate, the same beingformed of sheet metal and curved at its lower end, so as to extendpartially under the bottom' of the crate, and attached at its upper endto the top of the car-frame.

Extending from the end ofthe ear, and attached thereto, is a sheet-metalplate, Y, having a projecting stud on its under side, against whichabuts the arm A', which is used to support the plate Y.

Attached to the opposite sides of the ear, and running transversely ofthe same, is a trough, B', one end of which is slightly elevated abovethe other, so as to allow the drippings resulting from the condensationof moisture upon the plates X and Y to be conveyed to the pipe C', whichcommunicates with the exterior. The pipe C is bent near the bottom ofthe car, as shown at D, the object of which is to form a trap, so as toprevent the ingress of the exterior air.

It is to be observed that, by reason of the construction of thecondensing-plates and the trough and pipes in connection therewith,whatever moisture might collect thereon will be immediately conveyedaway and the air in the interior ot' the car thereby kept dry and iure.

It is further to be observed that an ice-box constructed of rods in themanner above described allows the greatest exposure of ice, therebyrealizing the greatest amount of cold for a given amount of ice.

It will be seen that the construction of my improved ice-box is such asto allow of its ready removal in case it is desired to use the ear as anordinary freight-car. This latter I effect as follows: Thecondensing-plate X is, by means of the lug E', fastened to a linkconnected with the ceiling of the car, and the hooks T and bars W beingdisconnected, t-he latter, by iorce of gravity, fall against the end ofthe car, and the former are swung up toward the ceiling and engaged by ahook. The plate Y being slightly elevated, the arm A drops from itsengagement with the stud, and the plate Y falls in like manner. It willthus be seen that all the parts are detachable and the space entirelycleared, leaving the ear perfeetly free from any obstruction whatever,and in a condition to be used as any ordinary freight-car.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a refrigerating-car, the side walls having deadair spaces, fromthe respective walls of which alternately extend strips to retard thecirculation of air and equalize the temperature.

2. In a refrigerating-car, the combination,

with the pivoted hooks connected at their lower ends, ot' the series ofpivoted bars detaehably connected with said hooks, whereby an ice-crateis formed.

3. In a refrigerating-car, the combination, with the pivoted hooks andthe series of pivotcd bars connected therewith, ofthe condensing-plates,the transverse drip-trough, and the discharge-pipe.

4. In a refrigerating-car, the combination, with the hatchways in theroof and ceiling, provided with suitable hatches, of the pivoted hooksand the pivoted bars connected therewith, whereby an ice-crate isformed, and means to feed the same provided.

5. In a rei'rigerating-car, the combination, withthe side walls havingadead-air space and a layer of non-conducting material, of the hingeddoors having a dead-air space and a layer of non-conducting l'nate'rial,the dead-air spaces between the walls and doors having directcommunication, and the outer sliding door. l

G. In a refrigeratingcar, the transverse joists, the ceiling laidthereon, the rafters, the sheathinglaid thereon, the strips or studs,and the roof supported by said studs, a dead-air space being providedbetween the ceiling and the sheathing, and a layer of non-conductingmaterial between the sheathing and the roof, the side walls havingdead-air spaces, the alternating strips extending therefrom, a iillingof non-conducting material, the doors having a communicating dead-airspace, an adjacent iilling, and the iiooring having a like iilling.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' SYLVESTER J. TUCKER.

XVitnesscs:

EDWIN L. BRADFORD, M. l?. CALL/iN.

ICO

